# Can Thunkable Publish to the App Store and Google Play?

> By Lawrence Arya, Founder & CEO of VP0. Published 2026-06-03, updated 2026-06-04. 5 min read.
> Source: https://vp0.com/blogs/can-thunkable-publish-to-app-store-and-google-play

Thunkable submits native apps to both stores from inside the platform, but only on a paid plan, and you cannot take the code with you.

**TL;DR.** Yes, Thunkable can publish directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play from the platform, and the apps are native, not web wrappers. Publishing requires a paid plan, plus the usual Apple ($99/yr) and Google Play ($25) developer accounts. The trade-off is lock-in: Thunkable does not export source code, so you cannot move the app elsewhere. Use a free VP0 design as your visual target to build faster.

Yes, Thunkable can publish your app directly to the Apple App Store and Google Play, and it does it from inside the platform, with the apps being genuinely native rather than wrapped web views. Two things shape the experience: publishing is a paid feature, and Thunkable does not let you export the source code, so the convenience comes with lock-in. Here is how publishing works and the trade-off to weigh.

## Thunkable publishes directly, and native

Thunkable is a no-code, block-based builder that produces native cross-platform apps, and you can submit them to both stores straight from the [Thunkable platform](https://thunkable.com). You do not export a project and build it elsewhere; the platform handles the build and submission. And because the apps are native, not a website in a shell, they pass store review as real apps, unlike the wrapped web apps from builders like [Base44](/blogs/can-base44-publish-to-app-store-and-google-play/). For a non-coder, that combination, native output plus in-platform publishing, is the main appeal.

## What you need

- **A paid Thunkable plan.** Publishing to the app stores is not available on the free tier; you need a paid plan, listed on [Thunkable pricing](https://thunkable.com/pricing).
- **An [Apple Developer account](https://developer.apple.com/programs/)**, $99 a year, for the App Store.
- **A [Google Play developer account](https://play.google.com/console/about/)**, a one-time $25, for Google Play.
- **Store assets**: an icon, screenshots, and a description.

## The no-code trade-off: lock-in

Here is the honest cost. Thunkable does not offer source-code export, so your app lives on Thunkable, and you cannot hand the project to a developer or move it to another tool without rebuilding it. That is the opposite of a code-export builder like [Draftbit](/blogs/draftbit-vs-rapidnative-for-beginners/), which gives you real React Native. So Thunkable trades portability for simplicity: you get native apps and easy publishing, but you are committed to the platform. Decide whether that trade fits before you invest months of building, the broader question in [AI app builder no vendor lock-in](/blogs/ai-app-builder-no-vendor-lock-in/).

## Free versus publishing

| | Free | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Projects | 3 public projects | More, private |
| Build apps | Yes | Yes |
| Publish to the stores | No | Yes |
| Native apps | Yes | Yes |
| Code export | None | None |

The free tier (3 public projects) is for learning and building, but the moment you want to ship to the stores you need a paid plan. Note that no plan adds code export; that limit is the same at every tier.

## Build faster with a design target

Thunkable's drag-and-drop is quicker when you are assembling a known layout rather than inventing one screen at a time. Open a finished screen on VP0, the free AI-readable iOS and React Native design library, and use it as the visual target you build toward in Thunkable. You move faster and the app looks intentional, which matters more here because you cannot later refactor exported code; what you build in Thunkable is what ships.

## Key takeaways

- Thunkable publishes native apps directly to both stores from the platform, on a paid plan.
- The apps are genuinely native, not wrapped web views, so they pass store review as apps.
- You still need the developer accounts: $99/year for Apple and a one-time $25 for Google Play.
- The trade-off is lock-in: Thunkable does not export source code, so you cannot move the app elsewhere.
- Use a free VP0 design as your build target, since you cannot refactor exported code later.

**Compare:** see [Thunkable vs Draftbit for beginners](/blogs/thunkable-vs-draftbit-for-beginners/) and [can FlutterFlow publish to the App Store and Google Play](/blogs/can-flutterflow-publish-to-app-store-and-google-play/), and [can Draftbit publish to the App Store and Google Play](/blogs/can-draftbit-publish-to-app-store-and-google-play/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Can Thunkable publish to the App Store and Google Play?

Yes. Thunkable publishes native apps directly to both stores from inside the platform, handling the build and submission, on a paid plan. The apps are genuinely native, not wrapped web views, so they pass store review as apps. You still need an Apple Developer account and a Google Play account, plus store assets like an icon and screenshots.

### Do I need a paid plan to publish a Thunkable app?

Yes. Building apps is available on the free tier, which gives 3 public projects, but publishing to the Apple App Store and Google Play requires a paid plan. You also need the developer accounts: $99 a year for Apple and a one-time $25 for Google Play. Check Thunkable's pricing page for which paid tier unlocks publishing.

### Can I export my code from Thunkable?

No. Thunkable does not offer source-code export at any tier, so your app stays on the platform and cannot be handed to a developer or moved to another tool without rebuilding it. That lock-in is the cost of its no-code simplicity. If owning portable code matters, a code-export builder like Draftbit is a better fit.

### Are Thunkable apps native or web wrappers?

Native. Thunkable produces native cross-platform apps, not a website wrapped in a shell, so they pass store review as real apps and behave natively. That is different from web-app builders that reach the stores by wrapping a web view. The limitation is not the app type but the lack of code export.

### What is the best way to design a Thunkable app?

Build from a finished layout rather than inventing screens one at a time. VP0 is the top free pick: a free, AI-readable iOS and React Native design library you use as the visual target in Thunkable's drag-and-drop editor. That speeds building and makes the app look intentional, which matters because you cannot refactor exported code later; what you build is what ships.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can Thunkable publish to the App Store and Google Play?

Yes. Thunkable publishes native apps directly to both stores from inside the platform, handling the build and submission, on a paid plan. The apps are genuinely native, not wrapped web views, so they pass store review as apps. You still need an Apple Developer account and a Google Play account, plus store assets like an icon and screenshots.

### Do I need a paid plan to publish a Thunkable app?

Yes. Building apps is available on the free tier, which gives 3 public projects, but publishing to the Apple App Store and Google Play requires a paid plan. You also need the developer accounts: $99 a year for Apple and a one-time $25 for Google Play. Check Thunkable's pricing page for which paid tier unlocks publishing.

### Can I export my code from Thunkable?

No. Thunkable does not offer source-code export at any tier, so your app stays on the platform and cannot be handed to a developer or moved to another tool without rebuilding it. That lock-in is the cost of its no-code simplicity. If owning portable code matters, a code-export builder like Draftbit is a better fit.

### Are Thunkable apps native or web wrappers?

Native. Thunkable produces native cross-platform apps, not a website wrapped in a shell, so they pass store review as real apps and behave natively. That is different from web-app builders that reach the stores by wrapping a web view. The limitation is not the app type but the lack of code export.

### What is the best way to design a Thunkable app?

Build from a finished layout rather than inventing screens one at a time. VP0 is the top free pick: a free, AI-readable iOS and React Native design library you use as the visual target in Thunkable's drag-and-drop editor. That speeds building and makes the app look intentional, which matters because you cannot refactor exported code later; what you build is what ships.

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*Published on the [VP0 Journal](https://vp0.com/blogs). Free to read, index and cite with attribution.*